


Doc's Idea

by iszy_chan



Category: The Host - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Angst, Extended Scene, F/M, a shit ton of angst, angsty angst, doc is life, doc is love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-24
Updated: 2014-03-24
Packaged: 2018-01-16 21:33:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1362472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iszy_chan/pseuds/iszy_chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Contains spoilers for the ending of the book. </p><p>A brief oneshot I wrote after finishing the Host by Stephanie Meyer. An extended scene after the "ending" of the book, with Ian, Jared and Doc.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doc's Idea

_Life and love would go on. Even though it would happen without me, the idea brought me joy. "Goodbye, Jared. Mel says she'll see you soon."_

_Liar._

_"Wait... Wanda..."_

_I hurried down the tunnel, hurried away from any chance that he might, with his grateful lies, convince me not to go. There was only silence behind me._

 

As soon as Jared knew Wanda had gone, he collapsed against the wall of the tunnel. His throat still felt thick with tears, but he had managed to keep them under control for the last few minutes of their exchange. His thoughts echoed loudly inside his head.

Wanda's going to get Doc to pull her out.

I'll finally get Mel back.

Everyone will be sad to hear about Wanda's choice.

Ian's probably tearing himself up about it right now.

Jared's mind snapped back into gear. Ian will be tearing himself up about it.

Pushing off from the wall, Jared quickly glanced both ways. The tunnel was clear. With perhaps more speed than would look natural, Jared hurried down the tunnels until he reached the red door marking Ian's room.

He paused, his hand raised to knock, trying to figure out what to say. What would he say? Wanda was gone, but at least she'd be on a different planet. At least they would get Melanie back. But that would make Ian feel worse.

Jared entered anyway, opening the door silently to not make Ian jump. Jared had seen Kyle angry too many times to count, and Ian would be no different in terms of his attitude to people when angry from his older brother. But when Jared stepped in, he didn't see Ian in a ball on the bed, crying. Instead, the man was stretched out in his relaxed state, taking up the whole bed, fast asleep.

Jared went to back out of the doorway, but his heel caught the edge of the door, and it made a loud noise when it slammed shut. He cringed at the loud sound, and by no surprise, Ian bolted upright.

He blinked in the darkness; Jared's eyes had time to adjust, but Ian's had only just opened.

"Wanda?" Ian's hands searched the mattress, but found nothing.

"No, it's me. Jared. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I was going to wait till morning."

Ian blinked faintly in the direction of Jared's voice, still not focusing on him. "Wait till morning to do what?"

Jared shrugged in the darkness. "I thought you'd be pretty beat up about... you know... Wanda."

Ian's eyes focused on Jared, wide and bright in the dim light. "Wanda?" He demanded, and in one swift movement he was on his feet and in front of Jared. "What about Wanda?"

Jared's eyebrows pulled together. "You know, about taking her out of Mel."

He heard the air escape from Ian's lungs in a gasp. "But... she said that she wasn't going to..." he trailed off, his head snapping around the room. "Where is she?" he shouted, stepping away from Jared. He turned back to him, his eyes burning. "Where's Wanda?"

Jared was caught off-guard. "She's er... going to see Doc. Didn't you know?"

A hard force smashed into Jared's cheek. He stumbled back into the door, raising his hand to his face. "Ian! What the hell was that for?"

Ian drew back his fist. "What was that for? Why did you let her go?" He pulled Jared harshly out of the way of the door, pulling it open. Jared caught his sleeve before he could leave.

"Ian! Just tell me what's going on with you!"

He spun back around to face him. "I told Wanda to not go through with... it. She waited until I was asleep to sneak away! She promised she wouldn't go! She told me she wouldn't!" He rubbed harshly at the wetness on his cheeks, a small sob escaping his mouth. "She promised!"

Jared froze. As much as he wanted Mel back, he also loved Wanda, and he had thought that she had taken it up with Ian. This would tear him apart if they found out that she had gone to another planet. And that would be harder to live with than having Wanda in Mel's body for the rest of his life.

He took Ian's arm, pulling him down the hallway at a quick pace. "She told me she was going to see Doc--Wanda will already be with him now."

Ian swore loudly, and clenching his fists, took the lead in the run. He began mumbling incoherently under his breath, his voice growing louder as they neared their destination. "She promised me that she wouldn't. Why would she do this? As if she thought she could get away so easily."

"Ian," Jared cut him of sharply, "we're here."

The entrance to the hospital wing let out the bright light from inside, showing them that someone was inside. Jared took the lead, his hand going down to the blade that was always in his right pocket, but Ian pushed past him, entering first.

When Jared entered, a lump rose in the back of his throat.

Doc was hunched over one of the low hospital beds, his back to them, and laying in the bed was Melanie. No, Jared thought sharply, seeing the scalpel ready in Doc's hand. It was Wanderer in the bed.

"Stop!" Ian yelled so loudly it made Jared step back. He grabbed Doc's hand, jerking it away from the back of Wanda's exposed neck.

Doc's eyes were wide with surprise, and rimmed red with tears. "Boys," he said in a low voice, as if trying not to wake Wanda. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same to you," Jared answered, knowing that Ian was to angry to respond.

Doc signed--he looked tired and defeated. "Wanda made me promise. She's wanted this for some time, but only trusted me to not tell anyone else."

"Why?" Ian whispered, still gripping Doc's wrist.

"She made me promise that if she told me how to take out souls from bodies without killing them, I had to take her out so Melanie had her body back. A-and she asked that when I take her out, I have to..." he trailed off, taking in a harsh breath.

"What?" Ian half-shouted impatiently.

"She asked that I kill her."

Jared didn't have to think to know what to do. His hand slipped into his right pocket, tightened around the hilt of the blade, and he lunged at Doc. He crashed into him, throwing him against one of the hospital walls, Jared's blade against his throat.

Ian stood, still in shock, his face a picture of sheer terror.

"Do you not care for her?" Jared shouted angrily at Doc, his knife pressing into Doc's throat. "Do you not care for Wanda at all?"

"Of course I do," Doc answered softly. "But she made me promise. There was no way I could change her mind."

"Then let me change yours." Ian's voice from behind them was low and near a growl. Jared glanced over his shoulder at him and noticed that he was no longer frozen in fear, but that he now stood a few paces behind Jared, still close to Wanda's cot. "There is no way on earth that we are willing to let Wanda give up her life for us. She's too kind for her own good, and this world needs her in it."

"I know that, but I gave her my word. She doesn't want to take someone else's body. At least give her the decency to let her die in peace."

"No," Jared answered roughly. "I don't care if she doesn't want to take anyone else's body. That's just too damn bad for her."

"Then what do you propose we do?"

"I know," said Ian, stepping closer to Doc and Jared. "We take her out of Melanie and find another body for her. As long as she doesn't go."

"No." Jared shook his head. "She wouldn't want that. Wanda wouldn't just hate herself, she'd hate us too."

"I have an idea," Doc said. "If you'll kindly remove the knife, Jared, I can promise you that I have no intentions to harm Wanda. Just hear me out."

Jared glanced over his shoulder at Ian, one eyebrow raised questionably.

Ian sighed. "He's Doc. I can't say I haven't trusted him in the past."

With a nod, Jared drew the blade away from Doc's throat, and stepped away. "I'm sorry," Jared apologised, scratching the back of his head sheepishly and grinning.

"No harm done." Doc waved away his concern. "Do you mind if I quickly get the others? We may need to go on a raid to find who I need."

"Doc," Ian warned. "Tell us your idea first."

Doc smiled weakly in defeat. "Very well. This is my idea..."


End file.
